How Much Can You Fit in a U-Box Container?
Here’s the short answer: One U-Haul U-Box container fits about 1 – 1.5 rooms of furniture and boxes, or roughly a studio apartment. Each container has 257 cubic feet of space and a 2,000-pound weight limit, enough for a king mattress, a full-size sofa, or a standard refrigerator. Below, see how many containers your home needs, what to leave out, and how U-Box compares to the best moving container companies.
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How many U-Box containers do you need?
U-Haul says one U-Box holds about 1.5 rooms of household goods, so your container count comes down to home size. A studio usually fits in one container, while a home with three or more bedrooms typically needs five or more.
The table below estimates container counts by home size, based on U-Haul’s 1.5-rooms-per-container guideline.
| Home size | U-Boxes needed |
|---|---|
| Studio or 1 room | 1 |
| 1 – 2 bedroom apartment | 2 – 3 |
| 2 – 3 bedroom home | 3 – 5 |
| 3+ bedroom home | 5+ |
rating
4.8 / 5
What are the interior dimensions of a U-Box?
A U-Box interior measures 7 feet 11 inches long x 4 feet 8 inches wide x 6 feet 11.5 inches tall, according to U-Haul. These are the measurements you actually load against.
| Dimension | Interior measurement |
|---|---|
| Length | 7 feet 11 inches |
| Width | 4 feet 8 inches |
| Height | 6 feet 11.5 inches |
| Total usable space | 257 cubic feet |
| Maximum weight | 2,000 pounds |
With 257 cubic feet of space, one container holds about 1.5 rooms of furniture and boxes. Tight loading makes a real difference, so consider hiring professional packers if you want to use every inch.
The 2,000-pound limit rarely matters for typical household goods, but watch it if you’re shipping lots of books, tools, or heavy antiques. The floor measures more than 9 feet corner to corner, which helps with long items like rolled rugs.
Pro tip: Price U-Box against rental trucks and full-service movers with our moving cost calculator, which factors in distance, home size, and move date.
What fits in a U-Box container?
U-Haul designs the U-Box to fit any furniture that fits through your house, including a king mattress. Width is usually the tightest limit at 4 feet 8 inches, so measure wide dressers, sectionals, and desks before you pack.
These large items typically fit in one U-Box:
- Full-size sofas: Standard sofas run about 7 feet long, which fits the U-Box interior length. Larger sectionals may need to come apart or split between containers.
- King and California king mattresses: Both sizes fit, and U-Haul designs the container to hold a king mattress. Standing the mattress on end frees up floor space for boxes and smaller furniture.
- Standard refrigerators: Most household refrigerators stand about 6 feet tall and fit upright under the 6-foot 11.5-inch ceiling.
- Common household goods: Lamps, sports equipment, yard tools, and small furniture load easily alongside your boxes.
- Boxed items: Clothing, dishes, picture frames, and books pack efficiently in standard moving boxes and stack well in the container’s vertical space.
A few loading habits help you fit more into each container:
- Stack vertically. The 6-foot 11.5-inch interior height gives you room to build up. Load tall items like headboards and appliances against the walls first, then stack boxes on top.
- Fill every gap. Cushions, pillows, and vacuum-sealed clothing bags fill the awkward spaces between furniture and along the container walls.
- Take furniture apart. Breaking down tables, bed frames, and shelving shrinks your largest items and frees up floor space for boxes.
- Reserve an extra container. U-Haul refunds any container you reserve but don’t use, so booking one more is low-risk.
What should not go in a U-Box container?
U-Haul builds the U-Box from plywood with a weather cover, and it doesn’t offer the temperature or humidity protection of climate-controlled storage. Some items should stay out even if they physically fit. For a longer list, see our guide on what not to pack in moving pods.
Leave these items out of your U-Box:
- Sensitive documents: Passports, birth certificates, deeds, and financial paperwork should stay with you. Once U-Haul picks up your container, you can’t reach them until delivery.
- Fur items: Furs react badly to temperature and humidity swings. Without climate control, long transit or storage can damage them.
- Firearms: Federal and state laws govern how firearms travel. Don’t ship them in a moving container, and check the rules well before your move date.
- Valuables and irreplaceable items: Jewelry, watches, fine art, and collectibles should travel with you, since the container offers no added protection for high-value items. For delicate or valuable pieces, see the best antique moving companies.
- Cash and medications: Keep both on you throughout the move. Neither belongs in a shipped container.
U-Haul ships U-Box containers long distance inside enclosed trailers, so your belongings stay out of snow, sleet, and rain in transit. Rain can still cause trouble during loading and unloading, so plan around the forecast with these tips for moving in rain.
Need more room per container? Compare quotes from these container companies alongside your U-Box quote.
How much driveway space does a U-Box take up?
A U-Box measures about 8 feet long x 5 feet wide x 7.5 feet tall on the outside, according to U-Haul. That’s about 40 square feet of ground space, less than half the footprint of a midsize sedan like a Toyota Camry.
U-Box holds less than some competitors’ containers, but the small footprint fits tight spots like apartment lots and college campuses where larger units won’t. The container needs flat, level ground a forklift can reach, such as a driveway, parking space, or curb.
U-Haul U-Box ships across town, across the country, to Alaska and Hawaii, and to most international destinations.
How do U-Box containers work?
U-Box is a pack-it-yourself container service. U-Haul drops off the container, you load it, and U-Haul ships it to your new home or stores it. U-Haul bills the container by the month, so you can take a few weeks to pack without paying for extra truck days or crew hours.
Here’s how the process works:
- Estimate your container count. Use the home-size table above as a starting point, then add one container if you’re on the fence.
- Make your reservation. Reserve online or call U-Haul at 1-800-GO-U-HAUL (1-800-468-4285) to schedule your drop-off date.
- Receive your containers. U-Haul sets each container down by forklift on flat, level ground. You can also tow one or two containers yourself on a U-Box trailer.
- Pack at your own pace. Load on your schedule, then contact U-Haul when you’re ready for pickup and delivery to your new home.
Should you use U-Haul U-Box?
U-Box is a strong fit for small DIY moves, storage gaps, or anyone who needs time to pack. Nancy shipped about 10 boxes and household items, under 1,000 pounds, in one U-Box from Quincy, Massachusetts, to Minneapolis. Her U-Box quote was $1,797, less than half the $3,915 PODS quoted her.
To weigh your options, start with moveBuddha’s ranking of the best moving container companies, built from research on 4,500+ companies. Also read our full U-Haul U-Box review.
For a hands-off move, compare the best interstate moving companies. The moveBuddha Mover Marketplace gets you up to five no-obligation quotes from vetted movers with one request, matched to their real-time availability. A moveBuddha Certified mover also adds $1,000 in move coverage and dispute mediation if anything goes wrong.
Pros & cons of U-Haul U-Box
- Pack on your schedule
- Guaranteed delivery dates
- Ships to Alaska, Hawaii & overseas
- 24 furniture pads included
- Fits tight spaces
- Refunds unused containers
- One size only
- Less space than PODS
- Not climate-controlled
- Insurance costs extra
Why use moveBuddha?
- On average, moveBuddha users save more than 30% by comparing movers before booking.
- When you choose a moveBuddha Certified mover, you get $1,000 in added move coverage, plus dedicated support throughout your move.
- If something goes wrong, moveBuddha provides dispute mediation with Certified movers to help resolve the issue and protect your move.
FAQs
What’s included in my U-Box quote?
Your U-Box quote covers a 30-day container rental, delivery at both ends, pickup, and Gentle Ride shipping. Coverage, Moving Help loading labor, and packing supplies cost extra.
Can U-Box handle local, long-distance & international moves?
Yes, U-Box handles local, interstate, and international moves, with U-Box locations in Alaska and Hawaii. Overseas shipments go location-to-port or location-to-door, depending on the destination. Built-in storage also makes U-Box a fit for students, so compare it with college dorm movers before a summer break or semester abroad.
Are U-Box delivery dates guaranteed?
Yes, U-Haul guarantees your quoted arrival date. If the container arrives late, U-Haul refunds $50 per day, up to the total cost of shipping.
Will my belongings be insured during transit and storage?
No, U-Box doesn’t insure your belongings by default. U-Haul sells optional SafeHaul coverage for transit and SafeStor for storage, with plans up to $20,000, so compare it with standard storage unit insurance. For your rights when shipping household goods, see FMCSA Protect Your Move.
Are PODS containers bigger than U-Boxes?
Yes, PODS’ smallest container measures 8 feet x 7 feet x 8 feet, about 448 cubic feet compared to 257 for a U-Box. The 16-foot PODS container is about four times the size of a U-Box. See our guide to PODS costs to compare price as well as space.
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